Pump for operating suction accessories and pressurizing fuel tanks of motor vehicles



July 1 1952 c HQRTQN 2,601 757 FUM'P FOR OPERATING SUCTION ACCESSORIES AND PRESSURIZING FUEL TANKS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Filed NOV. 18, 1948 ,1 6 fg /7 7 C SUCTION 7 35 i rzssakr IGNITION I SWITCH lNVETNTOR flu/m C. Ham 0/7 QM @JK BWM QW ATTORNEYS Patented July 1, 1952 stares PATENT OFFICE $601,757 PUMP FOR? OBERATING' SUCTION ACCES- SORI-ES AN-D- PRESSURI'ZINGFUEL TANKS F MOTOR VEHIGLES Erwin- G; Horton; Hamburg, N. Y., assignor' to 'llrico Products Corporation; Buflalo, N. Y.

Application. November 18, 194-8, SerialNo. 60;756-

This invention relates to. the. motor vehicle accessory'field' and; more particularly to a system utilizing air pressuresingly or in association with the negative pressure ofthe intake" manifold, the primary object of the invention being to provide a combined? fuel feeding and accessory system which is practical and" efficient in operation and one in which a common source ofoperatin'g pressure'serves to supply subatm'ospheric pressure for the; operation of the" accessory and superatmosswitch, the circuit heingg completedthroug-hwires pheric pressure for the'feeding'of-fuel. 22 and 23 and the motor I'I. tothe groundv it.

A- further objectof the invention is to provide Also interposed in this circuit is a. normally an accessory system of this character which closed. switch 25', the electro-magnet 26 off the the fuel supply system is? given preference over exhaustedidirecting valve l3, and an electro-magthe other accessories or adjuncts in order to innetic bleedval've 2 the switch 25' being. responsure continuousan'd eihcient engine performance. sive to the tank pressure inthe branch conduit l5. Again; the invention" aims) to provide a system When the ignition" switchis closed, and". assumof thisnature'in which thefuersystem' is brought ing that the carburetor is in need" of" replenishinto functioning immediately upon" the condiment, the electrically driven pump will' function tioning of the ignition system fonenginestarte as a compressor to. buildup the pressure in the ing; fuel tank. Concurrent1y,.the.va1ve. [3' will. close A- still further object of the invention is to off the manifoldbr'anch I'A'and' open the fuel. tank providea'fuel-system in which superatrno'spheric branch [5 so that the now operating. pumpwill pressureis utilized for compellinggfuel flow from deliver air to the fuel tank for raising the. presthe supply tank to the" carburetor While providing a factor of safety against firehazard when th -vehicle'is parked.

The foregoing and other'ohjects" will manifest themselves asthe" followi'ng description prograsses, reference being made therein to the. accompanying drawing; wherein" the illustrated. embodiment depicts diagrammatically the improved system;

Referring-moreparticularlytothe-drawirrgthe numeral I designates a'motor-vehicle power plant having an intake manifold 2 and a carburetor 3 the latter being supplied through a conduit 4'.

with fuelf rom a; supply-tank 5 located in' the back.

of the vehicle; The accessory; herein illustrated byway of example as a windshield" cleaner 6", has its motor 1 connected through a" conduitt tothe intake. manifold and: by aconduit 9" to a suction generating pump I U that is electrically drivenby a motor H The discharge or exhaust from" the pumpflows throughaconduit I-Ztoa distributing valve: l'3 which normally directs the pump-exhaust. to. the atmosphere} as through the intake manifold by' a branch passage F4 leading to the sujca tion line 8, but is adapted todirect the" exhaust through a branch conduit: l5 into thefuel tank 5 for providing a fuel feeding pressure on the liquid.

therein.

The suction line 8 supplies the accessory'm'otor' i with subatmospheric pressure when the. manifold supplyisample. When not; the-pump will 2 function, an interposed check valve [6 closing to preclude the pump I fl-drawinggasfrom the manifold. A control valve IT is arranged to connect the accessory motor T to. the source of suction.

The key controlled. ignition switch IB'. of the motor vehiclepower pla-nt'connects. the. source of electricity ['9 to the self-starter system, not shown. connected by a. circuit wire 21- to the ignition sure on the fuel therein. At. the. same timethe bleed valve 21 will unseat to permit air. flow into the" inlet'si'd'e of" the ump against the action of a spring closed ball check valve 2t".v This check valve will function. to admit the air necessary for the fuel tank when the accessory motor 1. is inoperative. It will also function to admit a supplementing supply of air to thepump, for fuel' feeding purposes when the accessory motor is. in operation. Byreasonof the spring seated check valve sufiicient vacuum will he. maintained for efficient. windshield cleaner. performance. Obviously; twoor more accessory motors may be connected'to' the pump inlet conduit .9.

Shouldthe'accessory'system' alone he operating,

the electromagnet valve" 21.wi1l close the bleed opening to condition the system. for" accessory operation alone in enhancing the suction influence the battery It and" the ignition switch by means.

ofa branch circuitiwire. 31.

The control, valve I17 for'the accessory motor I may beoperate'df by a fiexihle push pull wire. 32

leading to a knob. 31 onlthe instru-mentpanetlfla it This knob also constitutes an actuator for a The battery 1-9 is. grounded at :2'6'- and switch which is connected by a branch wire 36 from the electric motor wire 23 and also by a wire 31 to a switch contact 38 in the switch 25. The switch 25 normally closes the motor circuit for supplying the fuel tank with fuel feeding pressure but when the tank pressure is suiiicient and the pressure responsive member 39 is functioning, it will interrupt the motor circuit through the wire 23 and connect the wire 22 to the wire 31. This has been schematically depicted by the arm 40 which is adapted to be shifted to the'dotted line position 4| for continuing the motor operation should the accessory be in use at the time when the member 39 responds to a sufficient pressure in the fuel tank.

A suction responsive switch 42 is interposed in the circuit wire 31 and breaks the motor circuit, as far as the accessory is affected when the manifold suction influence is ample for accessory operation, at which time the accessory motor 1 will operate on the manifold influence alone.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the suction actuated accessory system will always have a reliable source of negative pressure. Likewise, the fuel feeding system will always ,have a reliable supply of superatmospheric pressure, and that under normal conditions of vehicle travel the suction producing pump for the accessory system will supply the fuel feeding system with the desired fuel feeding pressure, the pump inlet being supplied with the required additional air by means which function only when the fuel feeding system requires additional air.

The combined fuel feeding and accessory system is efficient and practical. Upon replenishing the fuel supply in the tank '5, the required pressure will be immediately restored upon closing the ignition switch.

The foregoing description has been given in detail for clearness and not by way of limitation since the inventive principles are capable of assuming other physical embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for a motor vehicle having a power plant, comprising a suction actuated accessory, a pump having fluid connection with the accessory for so actuating the same, a fuel tank for supplying the power plant of the motor vehicle with fuel, a pressure supply conduit connecting the pump exhaust to the tank, electrical means for actuating the pump including the ignition switch of the power plant in an energizing circuit therefor, a distributing valve under the control of the ignition switch to connect the pump exhaust to the fuel tank when the switch is turned on and to open the pump exhaust to the atmosphere when the ignition switch is opened, and means responsive to the tank pressure for opening the circuit.

2. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for a motor vehicle having a power plant, comprising a suction actuatedaccessory, a pump having fluid connection with the accessory and taking air therefrom for so actuating the same, a fuel tank for supplying the power plant of the motor vehicle with fuel, a pressure supply conduit connecting the pump exhaust to the tank, electrical means for actuating the pump including the ignition switch of the power plant in an energizing circuit therefor, means for admitting additional air into the pump intake for building 4 up the tank pressure, means responsive to the tank pressure for opening the circuit, and means under the control of said tank pressure responsive means for precluding the admission of additional air to the pump inlet when the fu l t pressure is ample.

3. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit clos ing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, and a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor.

4. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit closing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, and means for venting the tank when the second circuit is opened.

5. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit closing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, and a distributing valve acting to divert the pump discharge from the tank to the atmosphere when the second circuit is opened and the first circuit is closed.

6. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit closin switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, and means under the control of the second circuit for admitting additional air to the pump inlet for compression in the tank.

'7. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit closing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, means under the control of the second circuit for admitting additional air to the pump inlet for compression in the tank, and a distributing valve acting when the second circuit is opened and the first circuit closed to divert the pump exhaust into the suction communication between the source and the accessory.

8. A combined fuel feeding and accessory sys tem for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit closing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, means under the control of the second circuit for admitting additional air to the pump inlet for compression in the tank, a distributing valve acting when the second circuit is opened and the first circuit closed to divert the pump exhaust into the suction communication between the source and the accessory, and a check valve in the suction communication between the points of connection with the inlet and outlet of the pump.

9. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a ciraccessory,

cuit closing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, a second circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, means under the control of the second circuit for admitting additional air to the pump inlet for compression in the tank, a distributing valve acting when the second circuit is opened and the first circuit closed to divert the pump exhaust into the suction communication between the source and the accessory, a check valve in the suction communication between -the points of connection with the inlet and outlet of the pump, and means operating to vent the tank when the second circuit is opened, said second switch constituting the ignition switch for vehiclepower plant.

10. A combined fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination with a source of fluctuating pressure, a suction operated accessory connected to the source, a control operable to connect the source to the accessory, an air pump having its inlet connected to the accessory, a fuel tank connected to the pump outlet for providing a fuel feeding pressure therein, electrical means connected for operating the pump and including a pump driving electric motor and a circuit closing switch operable by the control, means responsive to the source pressure for opening the switch, apecond circuit including the electric motor and a circuit closing switch therefor, means under the control of the second circuit for admitting additional air to the pump inlet for compression in the tank, a distributing valve acting when the second circuit is opened and the first circuit closed to divert the pump exhaust into the suction communication between the source and the and means operating to vent the tank when the second circuit is opened, said second switch constituting the ignition switch for vehicle power plant.

ERWIN C. HORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record file of this patent: m the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

